Katherine Zappone (Independent) | Oireachtas source

On the possibility of reviewing our decision on the moment of reflection, I very much appreciate this moment of silence. It is a wonderful way to start proceedings.

I support the eloquent appeal made by Senator Paul Coghlan.

I have a request for the Deputy Leader arising from recent studies undertaken by the Immigrant Council of Ireland. In light of the council's findings, the Government must reassess the supports it offers to victims of racism. The council has confirmed that, following an extensive awareness campaign it conducted, it recorded an 85% increase in incidents of racism. However, the total number of reported cases of racism in 2013 was still only 144. As we are aware from recent media reports, it was also confirmed that the number of reports of racism to the PSNI is 700% higher than the number of such reports to the Garda. Even if one allows for the possible differences in legal definitions and laws, this is a substantial gap. It is clear, therefore, that victims of racism in this jurisdiction do not have the same level of confidence in our reporting system as their counterparts in the North. The findings of the Immigrant Council of Ireland are a wake-up call that we cannot ignore.